You are looking for a plumber, dentist or bike repair shop nearby. You type your search into Google and often see a map with three businesses at the top first. The regular search results come below it. Those three businesses get the most phone calls, route requests and visitors.
Whether you appear there depends largely on your Google Business Profile. This is the free profile that used to be called Google My Business. In this article you will read what to put in it, how to get reviews and how to keep the profile active.
Why your profile is often more important than your website
For local searches, Google looks mainly at three things: relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is about how well your profile matches the search query. Distance is the distance between your business and the person searching. Prominence is about how well known and trustworthy your business appears, for example through reviews and mentions on other sites.
You have little influence on distance. You do have influence on relevance and prominence. And you can improve those largely within your profile.
There is another reason. Many people no longer click through to a website. They see your phone number, your opening hours and your reviews on the map and call straight away. Your profile is then your first impression. Sometimes it is your only impression.
Complete your profile in full
A half-completed profile is a missed opportunity. Google favours profiles that explain clearly what a business does. Customers do too.
Start with the primary category. This is the most important choice you make. Choose the category that best describes your core activity. Be specific. So choose "Plumber" rather than a broad category such as "Contractor". You can then use additional categories to add your other activities.
Then go through these points:
- Business name: use your real name, as it also appears on your shopfront and website. Do not add keywords to it. This goes against Google’s rules and can cost you your profile.
- Address and phone number: make sure these are the same everywhere, including on your website and in business directories.
- Service area: do you work at customers’ homes? Then specify the towns or regions you cover.
- Services: add every service and write a short, clear description for each.
- Opening hours: keep them up to date, including for bank holidays and holiday periods.
- Description: explain in plain language what you do, who you do it for and what you are particularly good at.
- Website and booking link: link to the page where a visitor can actually do something, such as get in touch.
Do you have no shop that customers visit? Then you can hide your address and show only your service area. This keeps your home address out of view.
Reviews: what new customers really read
Reviews do two things. They help you rank higher in local results. And they persuade the visitor who is choosing between you and a competitor.
Most of the work lies in asking. Satisfied customers rarely think of it themselves. So make it as easy as possible for them:
- Copy the direct link for writing a review from your profile.
- Send that link by email, WhatsApp or text message, shortly after you finish the job.
- Ask personally and briefly. A sentence such as "Would you help us with a short review?" is enough.
- Thank everyone who leaves a review.
Bear a few rules in mind. Do not buy reviews and do not offer a reward in exchange for a positive review. Google can remove reviews and restrict your profile if you do. It is also wise not to ask only the satisfied customers. That often looks less natural.
Also respond to every review. For a positive review, a short, personal thank you is enough. For a critical review, your response becomes even more important. Stay calm, thank the customer for the feedback, offer a solution and ask whether they would like to get in touch. You are not writing that response only for the unhappy customer. You are also writing it for the next customer who reads along.
Stay active with photos and posts
A profile that has not been touched for years inspires little trust. For customers, it is a sign that the business may no longer be active. For Google, it is a sign that the information may be out of date.
You do not need to make a full-time job of it. A regular routine of a quarter of an hour every week or fortnight is enough.
- Photos: post real photos of your work, your team, your premises and your company van. Stock photos work less well. People want to see who they will be dealing with.
- Posts: share an offer, a piece of news or a completed project. Keep it short and add a button, such as "Call now" or "Learn more".
- Details: update opening hours and services straight away when something changes.
Save your photos in a dedicated folder after each project. Then all you have to do later is upload them.
Common mistakes and how to measure results
A common scenario: a painting company in the region has a tidy website. The profile was created years ago and never looked at again. The category is "Construction company", the opening hours are no longer correct and there are two photos of a logo. There are four reviews, one of them critical and never answered. A competitor further down the road has a complete profile with photos of finished jobs and dozens of answered reviews. Anyone searching for a painter calls that competitor. The first company’s website is not even visited.
These are the mistakes we see most often:
- A wrong or overly broad primary category.
- Details that do not match your website.
- Reviews without a response.
- A duplicate profile for the same business.
- Never checking the profile for changes that others have suggested.
Fortunately, measuring is simple. In your profile you can see how often people view your profile, call, request directions or visit your website. Look at this every month. If you see the number of calls or route requests growing, your approach is working. If you also want to see what visitors do on your website, link your tracking to your profile. For example, add a tracking parameter to the link to your website, so that you can see in your statistics that the visit came via your profile.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Google Business Profile cost?
Creating and using it is free. You only pay if you choose to get help or to run advertising.
How quickly will you see results?
Changes to your details are often visible within a few days. Reviews, photos and more activity need more time. Expect a few weeks to a few months before you really notice a difference. This also depends on the competition in your area.
Do I need to verify my profile?
Yes. Without verification you have little control over your profile and it is less likely to appear prominently. Google usually lets you verify by phone, email, video or postcard. Which options you get differs from business to business.
Book a free 30-minute introductory meeting
Do you want to know how your profile is doing and what you can improve fastest? Then book a free 30-minute introductory meeting with Adventio Marketing in Amersfoort. Together we will look at your profile, your reviews and your competitors in the area. You will receive practical tips you can put to work straight away, even if you prefer to carry on by yourself afterwards. Get in touch with us and choose a time that suits you.
